{"id":639778,"date":"2026-03-04T23:23:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T23:23:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/639778\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T23:23:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T23:23:23","slug":"see-why-basketball-hall-of-fame-honoring-sanibel-resident-matt-asen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/639778\/","title":{"rendered":"See why Basketball Hall of Fame honoring Sanibel resident Matt Asen"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame<\/a> is honoring a longtime Indiana Pacers<\/a> ‘SuperFan’ by adding him to a special exhibit this summer.<\/p>\n

And he has a Southwest Florida connection.<\/p>\n

Sanibel resident Matt Asen<\/a>, also known as The Pacer Guy, will be among a new class of NBA supporters showcased in the Hall of Fame’s James F. Goldstein SuperFan Gallery beginning in August. His appearance in the gallery will be highlighted during the Hall’s Enshrinement Weekend, Aug. 14-16, 2026.<\/p>\n

Other notable NBA superfans previously recognized include Billy Crystal, Jack Nicholson, Penny Marshall and Spike Lee.<\/p>\n

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A New York City native, Asen moved to Sanibel in 1978. A restaurateur, he owns the Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market and Sanibel Grill on the island and the Prawnbroker and University Grill in Fort Myers.<\/p>\n

Mike Pence<\/a>, a longtime Sanibel vacationer, has been a frequent diner at the Timbers, including as a newly minted Vice President in 2017<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A fixture on the sidelines of Indiana Pacers games since the 80s, Matt Asen, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Pacer Guy\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, prepares before the first half of an NBA basketball second round playoff game against the New York Knicks, Sunday, May 12, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana Pacers won, 121-89.<\/p>\n

In 1987, a woman arrived at Asen’s home in Sanibel hoping to claim one of the kittens he had rescued. She noticed a framed NBA photo and asked if he liked basketball.<\/p>\n

She was Diane Simon, the wife of Pacers co-owner Herb Simon. According to a 2014 story in the Indianapolis Star<\/a>, she invited Asen to attend a Pacers game with her husband that same evening in Atlanta. A friendship and a nearly 40-year fandom were born.<\/p>\n

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Over that time, Asen has been a fixture at Pacers games, both at home and on the road. He is known for his signature inflatable flamingo, Pacers hardhat and colorful signs.<\/p>\n

Contact Sports Reporter Dan DeLuca at\u00a0ddeluca@usatodayco.com<\/a>. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow\u00a0@newspresssports<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0@ndnprepzone<\/a>\u00a0on Instagram.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame honors Indiana Pacers superfan Matt Asen<\/a><\/p>\n